VVISDOM is accompanied with a most glorious train of Heavenly beautie [...] ex­act [...]y formed into a scene; which doth pre­sent the souls eternal happiness and being u­nited with the soul, make it pertaker of her graces she carries ever with her (and those that fin [...] her shall find with her) in esteema­ble values and things of great price, happy therefore is the man that sits knocking at her gates for in her are all the paths of pleasure, and the wayes of peace, and what can be defi­red more? Pleasure is that the world is most eager after, but it is such a pleasure as ends in sorrows, these pleasures cannot bring peace to the soul, they may satisfie them selves with vain hope and say peace, we shall [Page 42] do well, but surely sudden destruction shall come upon them, there is no peace for such saith my God.

But now here is pleasure which proceeds from the breast of wisdom, such pleasure as will bring profit to the soul, and peace also, such pleasure as will never hurt the soul but make it happy for ever.

What is it people take pleasure in, is it not commonly in things that excel for richness, for glory and delight, &c. Pray consider what thing more glorious can we have then to be found in the radiments of Heaven for glory, for beauty, for splendor, for delight and comfort, such are not to be found in the earth, nor in the least to be equalled with it, to injoy Communion with a God who is in­finitely glorious, so that there is none like unto our God, to have an interest in a Christ, who is altogether lovely, and can it be exprest the good and comfort a soul in Christ is inriched withal, even with joy unspeakable and full of Glory? Oh what comparison can be made with the joys of heaven and those Rivers of endless pleasures, which are at Christs right hand for evermore, these are the pleasures which true spiritual Wisdom, is accompanied with, nay her paths are plea­santness and her ways are peace, she leads in the [Page 43] wayes of God; and those wayes are the wayes of peace, and worldly troubles can never overcome a heavenly peace, is it not a com­fort to a Soul though in the midst of storms, in the world to see himself at peace with God, what sufferings would he think hard and too much for him to bear, when he sees his Soul in a bond of peace being reconciled unto the Father by the Son even Christ Jesus? This is not such a peace as the world giveth, no 'tis the peace of God which passeth all un­derstandings which God is pleased to give unto his Saints alone as an earnest of eternal hap­piness; and twas the care of our dear Saviour himself at his parting out of the world to leave his peace with us even with his own, to bear them out and keep up their hearts in those tryals, temptations, and conflicts which they are sure to meet withal in their pilgri­mage before they come to that holy Hill of Sion, that heavenly Jerusalem, that glorious City of which the Lamb himself is the light, which being attained the recompence surely outpasses very much the labour after it here is the pleasure of a true believer, in the fruition of God, and here lies his comfort in being at peace with God, and this can bear him up, and sup­port him though in the midst of a fiery fur­nace, now those are the pleasures of the god­ly, [Page 44] but the worldlings pleasures are of ano­ther kind, the wicked deli [...]hteth himself in wor [...]d i [...] vanities, as if their were the greatest happiness, and truly so it is to them they think not of their eternal being, [...] make pro­vision [...]or the fl [...]sh [...]ha [...] they may [...] the lu [...]t thereof; And h [...]d rather loose heaven with all the glory of it, although it be a being of e­ternal rest, rather then part with their base lusts in which they take pleasure, and which they cannot keep long but may in the midst of those their p [...]easures [...]e snatched away and [...] to receive the reward of their actions in horror and eternal darkness those that had rather sin then suffer for the cause of Christ here, shall assuredly suffer for their sin to all eternity, he is not worthy of Christ that can­not with co [...]ten [...] par [...] wi [...]hal for him, what is our all even nothing, when we consider the gain we have by Christ; nay what have we of our own to loose what we have is it not from the hand of our heavenly father who is the given of all goodness.

We [...]ceive it and cannot he that giveth all take it a [...] again w [...]ensoever he pleaseth, and if he [...]hrough his infinite wisdom seem good to take hose things from us which might through our base corrupt hearts proves snares to [Page 45] our Souls, and give unto us heavenly trea­sures, the riches of his grace and gift of his holy spirit, the true wisdom, to know him, who to know a right is life Eternal, and ha­ving of these how great will the exchange be, what cause can a Soul in such a case have to complain, although he were stript of all worldly comforts, surely he ought to lay his hand upon his mouth and submit unto the Lord in all things; Naked came I out of my mothers womb, &c.

Yet sometimes the Saints of God, walk in heaviness under the afflicting hand of God, even when the Lord hath with­drawn his quickning presence from them, which made David lye sobbing under so great an oppression, also all the dear Chil­dren of God have been sensible of the loss they have sustained by Gods withdrawing of his presence from them, what, sad cries and complaints have the church made for the same reason? but will God forsake for ever, no he will not, for a moment I hid my face from thee but in everlasting kindness will I remember thee whom God loves he loves for ever, and chastisements are but effects of his love the dearest of Gods Children may stand in need of the rod of Correction.

And God is pleased as a loving Father to [Page 46] try all wa [...]es for his Childrens good, he will hide his face from them that they may see the evil of their sin▪ which hath caused them to loose the comfort of their Souls, and thereby return with repentance that they receive mercy, for he is a tender hearted father who looks with the eyes of compassion on his Children and will hear them when they cry unto him, he will put their tears into his bottle, so pretious are they in his sight, he will comfort the mourner and hath pronoun­ced him blessed, O blessed be the means that brings such blessedness to the Soul? that it should be taken notice of by the great God, who would not be a mourner all his dayes to have such a comforter to help and succour him? and who would not forsake the vain pleasures of the world to injoy those hea­venly felicities and eternal pleasures, which are at Christ right hand for ever more.

Lord give me evermore that bread and sa­tisfie my Soul there with; O see where beau­ty lies, the Kings daughter is all glorious within, there's her beauty, not laid open to the eyes of worldlings, but in the sight of her well beloved alone, to the world they look black and swarthy, yet are they washed in the fountain of his blood hence they are decla­red to be without spot, the world seeth not [Page 47] these things, but the Lord is the searcher of hearts, and the tryer of Reins whose eyes go through the earth and knoweth who they be; whose hearts are upright before him; O here is wisdom, even in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, whom to know, to know a rigbt is life Eternal, to know God to be a wise just and merciful God to those that have his fear in their hearts, who desire to walk in obedi­ence to his ways, and whose soul trembleth at his righteous judgements, but to such that wilfully disobey his commands and despise his Laws setting their hearts against God and fight against him by their lusts, the language of whose heart is truth, God seeth it not; God seeth all thy doings, ye the very thoughts are not hid from him, thou hast thy inventions, and gloriest in thy strength, know vain man God laughs thee to scorn, if God say [...]s but the word thy devices shall perish and thou shalt be consumed in the fire of his Wrath? who wil come rendring vengeance upon such who obey not his word, and who can stand before a consuming fire, if the thoughts of God be so dreadful to unrepentant sinners; here what will it be to such as the day of Judgement when they shall be summoned to appear before the presence of an angry God being only covered with their abominati- [Page 48] abominations, then shall they call to the [...] fall upon them, and the Mountains to hi [...]e [...] from [...]he fierce wrath [...] an angry God, who will [...]onsume th [...]m with t [...]e brea [...] of his nostril [...]; Al [...]s▪ then there is no Mediator for their poor Souls, no interceeder shall they see; hee▪ who would have been a Saviour to them, now their Judge, then sha [...]l they look back and consider the p [...]et [...]ous time they have lost▪ the many offers of Grace they have rejected and despired the Spirit of the Lord, which would hav [...] led and instructed them in the way which leads to eternal hap­piness.

But now 'tis too late, the time of grace is gone, the day is past, Christ knocked at the door of thy heart▪ but thou wouldst not▪ he has proffered grace and mercy but thou re­jectedst it, and wouldst have none of it, Christ has word and intreated and waited that he might be gratious, yet thou hast been deaf and blind and hardued thy heart against him who pitri [...]d thee and would Have brought th [...]e out by [...]: intrea [...]ies of the way thou hast run headlong into, to thy own destruction, but thy heart was filled with vani [...]ies at best which now thou hast found to be but shadows, and thine ears were [Page 49] stoped and so taken up with thy lusts and pleasures that thou couldest give no ear to the intreaties of a Christ, nor the kind invitations of a blessed Saviour, who has called upon you to come and buy without mony or prise only with the loss of your lusts, justly may it be said that thy destruction is of thy self, that thou ha [...]t willfully and willingly [...]un thy self head­long into that gulf of hor [...]r and eternal mise­ry, O Souls, consider whom you do dispise what dulness is it thus posseseth you to re­ject the Lord of life; who [...]e service is so pre­tious who is all love & swe [...]tn [...]s [...], and the only thing to be desir [...]d, what is there to be desired that is not to be found in him, who is all ful­ness, out of whose fulness his own receive ev [...]n grace for grace, and what can we se in our minds to be more plesant to us then that which is but full and lovely what beauty can be like this beaut [...], what glory can be equal to thi [...]e, what is there can be compared unto thee, O my Lord thou art all togather lovely, who do you despise, O see how wretchedly rather (naturally) dost thou sit upon a dung­hill and feed upon husks, rather rhen feed at the banquet of fat things, feasted at the Kings banquet, that had rather be bond­slaves to Sin and Satan, which brings nothing [Page 50] but shame and confusion both to Soul and body, then to be freemen of Jesus Christ, by whom comes life salva [...]ion and eternall hapy­ness. what thing is there in rhe world is so requisite and so needful, that we should be thus blinded, from beholding the necesity and the need we have of a crucified Christ, what things is there in the world so glorious and so beautyful that should take our hearts off from those heavenly objects, those celes­tial beauties, those beams of g [...]ory, that are set at the right hand of God, O then be no longer fooles but wise, redeeming the time get wisdome, which is of so glorious a nature as to bring you to the true knowledge of God who calls upon you saying

Blessed are they which attain to this Wisdom, and lay it up in their hearts, in so doing they shall find riches and honour proffit and plea­sure and that of a higher Nature then any the world can produce and with all that blessed peace of conscience which brings the Soul to joy eternal▪ what are the riches and the honours of the world? riche [...] take wings, thy are but a little dust, things which God in an ordinary way of providence gives to the wicked, wh [...]n he has denyed them to the dearest of his Children; aye, and they are [Page 51] the wickeds portion, therefore grudge it them not, for they are their good things in this life, but thine are laid up in the bosome of the Fa­thers love, theirs shall be but for a time, but thine for eternity, besides, they that have most of them have them not without their trouble, they are empty having no substance nor real [...]ity in them, but shadows.

Which by a fair shew, delude the Soul and draw it in to a snare, these are the things the world is so eagar after which being gain­ed the value of them would not counter vaile the loss of the least smile of God; how much better is it to gain Christ though with the loss of the world and allworldly injoyments, then to gain the world with the loss of Christ; So likewise honeurs, they shall all fall, and come to nothing, keep it as long as thou canst which will be but as long as thou livest, it is but for a moment, and there be many thing, may combine together to cut it short even in the midst of that moment, but say thy henor should carry thee to the Grave it will leave thee there, it will not carry thee to Heaven, the wise and the honourable dyeth as doth the fool; the poorest man that is, can claim so much ground as to bury them in, and thou canst do no more, of earth thou wast made and to earth thou shall return, there is nothing [Page 52] more sure then what is honour worthy? [world­ly honour

What [...]ools are we when at the best it is but vanity and most that are in honour perish as doe the beasts happy is the man a f [...]om [...]he Lord the Ki [...]g of Kings will honour with h [...]s grace & holy Image, surely the best Robe is put upon him ev [...]n the Robe of Ch [...]ists Righteousness, the White Robe of his inocenc [...], the Ring shall be put upon his finger, and he shall be more glorious and honourable then the Kings of the earth; you'l say, 'tis honour to a man to have the King his friend, much more honour­able it is then when the King is his Father and if this be honour to be a friend or child to an earthly Prince, of how much greater honour is it to be the child of the Heavenly King who is so infinitely aboue all the world, that the whole earth is but as the d [...]op▪ of a Bucke [...] on the small dust of the Ball [...]nce unto him, at whose feet Kings shall lay down their crowns and Rulers shall be i [...] subjection, and when he speaks, who can resist his power? who with his voice maketh the earth to trem­ble, the Lord who i [...] mighty in [...]ower, in Wis­dom, in knowledge, in me [...]cy, and in tru [...]h, who made all things out of nothing & can withone word of his mouth reduce them to nothing again [Page 53] gain, he is the King of Kings and the Lord of glory, he pulleth down and se [...]teth up as he plea­seth.

Here then lies true honour and true happiness even in the favour of this God; O what adva [...] ­tage has that Soul over the world whose Soul hath an intrest in the Fathers love as there is no love so great so there is no love so true as that where with he love [...]h his peculiar ones, his love it is a transendant love; so it is in compre­hensible love, it hath no bound, but it in dures forever; what love is there like unto it? what variety and change do we see daily the world produceth: in this ma [...]ter or love of creatures, to day we may see a shew of love and affectious and think we are happy in them but how suddenly do they change, how little a thing will set them at a distance and break their amity; O this is the love of the world and what 1st worth? but here is a love which is not subject to change as to the Nature of it is such a love as the substance of a mans house will not purchase, which the Lord of love in spires his people with it is a Spiritual and evangillicall love, such a one as proceed from the divine nature a perfect love which admits of no change, his love is infinite and eternal whom he loves he loves forever, A Soul once re­received unto the Fathers love shall a bide [Page 54] forever; Who shall seperate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus neither height nor depth nor principallities nor powers neither things present nor things to come shall do it; Death it self cannot take this love from his beloved ones▪ no it will but make a way for the perfecting of that love which here we injoy but in part.

The love of God is also a tender and com­passionate love, the love of friends wax cold but the love of God shall never be dimi­nished, A mother may forget her child, but such is the Nature of our Heavenly Father who hath ingraven his beloved ones so deep­ly in his heart that 'tis impossible they should be forgotten sometimes he is pleased to correct his dearest Children, but it is as a dear and loving Father chast [...]ising whom he loves, sometime he hide [...] his face but 'tis for a moment that he might remember them in everlasting goodness, he looked upon us in our low estate when no eye pittied us, then was a time of Love, then the Lord had compassion on us, and out of his infinite wisd [...]m found out a means for the recovery of our Souls, he laid help upon one that was mighty, even his dear Son, the son of his love; who gave him­self a ransome that he might redeem our souls out of eternal misery; behold with what [Page 55] manner of love the Father hath loved us when we were vile wretches, sinful creatures he sent his only begotten, who was willing to leave his Glory to invest himself with misery for the good of Souls, he that sate at the right hand of the Fathers Glory, he, e­ven the Lord of Glory took upon him the form of a servant.

He became poor for us that we through his poverty might be made rich, and heirs of the Kingdom of glory, O what was there in us to invite the Lord thus to love us, it was an act of mercy alone, riches of his Grace bestowed upon us in Jesus Christ.

O then why doe we spend our mony for that which is not, why doe we spend our pretions time in catching shadows, and in the mean time let go the substance, why doe we pro­mise our selves good out of vanities, which are nothing but deceit, and in the mean time deprive our selves of that Soul satisfying comfort which can only ma [...]e us happy to all eternity, is God so gratious and is the riches, of his grace so freely bestowed upon us O then shall we any longer reject so great a blessedness doth Christ stand knocking at the door of our hearts out of love to our [Page 56] Soules and shall we deny him entrance, shall we despise his calls.

And those tenders of Grace made in his word, those intreati [...]s and sweet i [...]vitations sent unto us to compel and bring unto him, to bring to life it self, and so raise us out of the Grave of Sin, wherein we lie and so be made partakers of that [...]vine nature, and Co-heirs with him in the Kingdom of Glory, and shall we now contine sti [...]l in our stubborness, and resist wilfuly our Souls good, shall we whilst Christ woe [...] & intreats us in his word and by his spirit to be reconciled unto God, to lay hold of mercy before it be too late, stop our ears and ha [...]den our hearts to our own destruction? he can raise up Children out of the dust to praise him! 'tis the love and tender compassion of God to­wards us who wills our Sa [...]vation, and would not that we should perish, but shou [...]d live for ever, [...]hall we for the love of a base lust forgo so great a blessedness, O hardness of heart. blinded and benummed with Sin, who ha­ving any sence would not melt before beams of divine love▪ what heart so hard as stone cannot but be pierced at the considerations of that love which with Christ hath loved us.

In whom is all fulness and will give out his fulness, in such abundance into thy Soul, as shall make thee for ever happy, who would not joyfully submit to be under the protection and sol [...] Goverment of such a King, whose [...]oke [...]s easie, and whose burden is light, whose ways are pleasant and whose paths drop marrow and fatness, in whom is all things and who i [...] infinitable to supply all wants, and whatever thou standest in need of Oh consider what a blessed comfort is it for thy soul to have such a friend, to stand by thee at the great and terrible day, when the Lord shall pour out the Vials of his wrath rendring vengeance upon those who have wilfully neglected and made slight of those tenders of love and mercy, the Lord has so freely offered unto them, who have despised the means of their salvation.

Exhertations never come unseasonable, never are unuseful unto the Sou [...] who delights it self in the wayes of God, which my Soul, throu [...]h Grace hath experienced, and that alone hath put me upon this according to the measure, wherewith the Lord hath inabled me, to de­sire the good and eternal welfare of the Souls of my dear Brothers and Sisters; and as [Page 59] we are all one in flesh and blood, oh that it were the will of the Lord that we might be all of one and the same spirit, sanctified by faith through the blood of Jesus Christ, (and it may be) as I hope it will (a Sisters counsel) which hath experimentally tasted the wonderful goodness of God, may work yet more upon you through the operation of his good spirit, therefore suffered me to say it is good to seek the Lord whilst he may be found to call upon him whilst be is near.

Oh that I could perswade you to lay hold on time, whilst the day lasteth, not to resist the tenders of Grace, when they be offered to you, least they be hid from your eyes, it is only the infinite wisdom, goodness, and mercy of God, which only causeth him to look upon such sad wretched rebellious crea­tures as we are, who could of stones raise up Children to praise him, he hath no need of us nor our services. but the need we had of a Saviour, hath caused him to look upon us when no eye pitt [...]ed us, and in his infi­nite wisdom found ou [...] a means of delive­rance even the dear son of his love, whom he hath given to be broken, bruised, suffer death, and become a curse for poor sinners, that he might redeem them from the curse of the Law, but this priviledge doth not belong to [Page 60] all sinners in general, but to such who by a lively faith, lay hold upon this crucified Christ, else they who are sinners, will be sinners still they shall dye in their sins and the wrath of God will be upon them to all Eternity, great is the misery of a Christless and grac [...]less soul, being an enemy to God, then how can God be otherwise then an enemy to it? Oh how can a soul rest in such a condition as this, what peace can they have.

Doth it not then behove every soul to be earnest in searc,hing to find out the true e­state of his soul knowing for a truth (they being the words of our Saviour▪ that unless a man be born again he cannot enter into the King­dom of Heaven, till they are regenerated & become new creatures in Christ, putting off the old man with his deeds and putting on the new man, which is after the spirit, in righteousness and true [...]oliness, and this is all to be done by an in­terest in Christ, that so his righteousness may become ours, and all those priviledges of grace and mercy which he hath purchased may be imputed to us through the blood of his Cross, and so by being in Covenant with the Father, through the Son we shall have all things, Oh what a blessed state is it to be in Covenant, with the great God of [Page 61] Heaven and Earth! Oh what a depth of Love i [...] it, and how great a comfort is it to a poor soul covered over with a leprosie to see a Ph [...]sitian not only able but willing to cure him, for a poor lost creature which sees himself undone, in himself by reason of the vast guilt and debt which lies upon him, the shame which lies upon his soul by reason thereof.

As not daring to lift up his eyes to heaven when he shall not see only his debts paid, but also Christ his advocate pleading with the Father in his behalf, oh here lies the Souls true happiness, and here is a believers com­fort, that Christ died not only for sinners, but for me, a sinner, what is this to me, or what comfort can it bring me to have a noti­on as most of the World hath, that Christ died for sinners, and I am one amongst the rest; and therefore I hope to be saved by Christ, had I no greater evidence for heaven, my condition would surely be ever miserable, but blessed be God it is otherwise with me, and certainly if it were not, my soul would be in a very restless condition, oh did but any of you know what it is to be in a state of Grace, you would surely see a sweet change you would look over and lament the many pretious hours you have let go in se [...]king [Page 62] after vanity, and in the mean while lost so much sweetness and comfort as is to be had in the knowledge of God▪ways, which are the things only delightful, having substance and reality, and can only proffit the Soul, All other things are meer shaddows; empty husks, which canno [...] satisfie the Soul, these things which appear so pleasing to you now, would (when b [...] Grace you come to see the evil of them) be the objects of your hatred; there is nothing so glori [...]us, so sweet, and so lovely, as is the Lord Jesus, he is a [...]together lovely to a gratiou [...] Soul, who has tasted of divine goodness, and hath been refreshed with the sweet streams of his Love, which had you once but tasted▪ you would surely see all earthly injoyments but poor, vain things, and count them all as nothing, yea worse then nothing in comparrison of that hidden treasure, that unsearchable riches, which is laid up in the Lord Jesus, and shall [...]e re­vealed in his Saints, oh that the Lord would incline your hearts to consider and weigh these things in your mind, which is it better that your bodies, should for a moment of time injoy the deceitful pleasures in this World, then that your immortal Soul [...]s should injoy those transcendant and certain pleasures which shall never fade? those hea­venly [Page 63] Mansions of eternal rest; which those Souls shall find who are in Christ, at the last day and shall live in the presence of their dear redeemer for ever, where the Soul shall never find more trouble, but be ever praising the Lo [...]d, and singing HAL [...]LE-LU­JAHS to the King of Sain [...], oh how glorious a time will this be, who is it then, that would not be content (with Balaam) to dye the death of the righteous, but unless we live the life of the righteous our latter end would not be so, if Christ be not in us, we are repro­ba [...]es, we lye under the heavy Wrath of an angry God, and as it were dropping into hell every moment, there ro receive the just reward of our doings in eternal distruction from which there is no redemption, in a Lake which burneth with brimstone and fire, and never goeth out, is not assurance better then suspence, is it not good to have assurance a [...] ­ways about us, that when we shall come to render up our Souls at what timesoever they are required of us, we may have nothing to do but resign it unto our fathers bosom? Oh presume not in thy own supposed goodness Nothing but Christs blood could purchase Redemption, and if by a lively faith thou canst lay hold on him thou shalt be made partaker of Christ and his benefits his righte­ousness [Page 64] made over to thee.

Then mayest thou with boldness, thorough Christ, have [...]c [...]e [...]s unto the throne of Grace; and, through the Son, injoy communion with the Father, being related to God, having him to be thy Father, b [...]ing a member of Christ, being bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, the temple of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God dwelling in you; and is God thy Father then consider who 'tis is p [...]eased to own thee for a child? not a man, no nor the best of men, would you not think it great honour to be the Son of some Noble Man, much more if you were Son to a King, is it honour to be Son to an earthly King an will you count it no glory to be Son to the King of Kings? will you give honour to an earthly King and will you not honour him by whom Kings Reign? surely if God becomes thy Father he deserves honour from such a poor wretched creature as thou art? consider the transcendant love and i [...]finite wisdom of the great God in calling all out of the world, if thou belong to him; he will look on thee when thou art in thy blood when thou art covered over with a Leprosy of sin, and corruption, and no eye pittied thee, when thou wert dead then he saith, l [...]ve ye being an enemy he reconciled to himself, through the Blood of his own Son, [Page 65] the Son of his love in whom he was well plea­sed, in whom he delighted, in whom there was no sin neither guile found in his Mouth yet this was the infinite unspeakable Love of God to poor sinners and for our sakes was the Lord of glory willing to come down out of the Bosom of his Father, into the Circle of corruped earth, to disrobe himself of his glo [...]y, and take upon him sinful flesh, nay, he took upon him the form of a Servant and [...]umbled h [...]mself unto dea [...]h, even thae cursed death of the Cross, that he might exalt thee and purchase for thee a crown of Glory; what heart is there but a heart of stone that these charractors of Gods unspeakable Love cannot make impression upon, have you seen the Love of God in Christ and not been touched with a lively sence of so infinite a mercy; have you experienced it is any wise and not found the love of Christ to be a constraining Love? surely, those that have tasted the gratious sweetness of the Lord, will be filled with a holy admiration, and will have a heart full of breathings after those Heavenly visions and long for a more intire Communion with the Father of mercies and the God of Love;

But these seem to be strange things to a carnal Soul, they are not to be seen with the eyes of flesh but by the eye of faith through the [Page 66] opperation of the Spirit the holy spirit of God the holy Ghost the comforter which our Saviour promised to send to his disciples and with them the whole elect of God, now did we but consider the miserableness of our condition by nature, being dead, du [...]l, block­ish, having no life, or sence at all in any spiritull action, yet that the Lord should a­waken such out of the graves of there sins and reveal the righteousness of Christ unto them, who can but admire the infinite goodness of our God, now when this spirit of God workes it comes with power, discovering sin, and teaching the Soul to deny all ungodly­ness and sinfull lusts, and to live righteously and soberly in this present evill world, the Soul is convinced of siin, before of righteous­ness, Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance, who will seek to a phy­sitian that is not sen [...]able of any want he have of him, be that thinks himself most secure hath the most need of help, La [...]dicea said she was rich and full and needed nothing when Christ found her poor blind and naked and she knew not not her miserable condition being de­stitute and wholy wanting,

When we see our selves at a loss, O whe­ther shall we go but unto Christ, who is in­finitely able to save unto the ut [...]e [...]most all that [Page 67] by faith come unto him, let us not dispaire for God is faithfull who hath promised and his word shall stand for ever, let us fly unto the throne of his graee by that new and living way which he hath found out and appointed for the eternall comfort of poor sinners, even the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory, and the Son of his love, that whosoever truly re­pents from his heart, and by faith lares hold upon him sha [...]l not perish but have everlasting li [...]e, O let us admire the infinite goodness of the [...]ord, and dilligently inquire whether we have ever had this change, effectuall wrought in us or no, have we the sh [...]mt [...]mbes of a new born Soul in us then we shall [...]ee what cause we have to magnifie the riches of his grace in calling us from the world unto himself by his holy spirit, that hath not suffered us to lye buryed under the ruins of our own sins out of which we cannot come without the dr [...]wings of God and the greatness of the mercy wi [...]l heighten our praise, when we consider the infinite number of dead Souls on the right hand and on the left, and yet that the Lord should please in a more perticu­lar manner gratiously to look upon us▪ A Heaven born Soul as new born babe desires the sincere milke of the word that it may grow thereby, which being fed upon through the [Page 68] power of the spirit, is able to bring the Soul into a perfect state in Christ Jesus, who is the word of life and the express image of his fathers person, A new creature finds in himself a wonderful change, every faculty of his soul is changed, Christ died to redeem us to himself from the world from our vain conversations, As well to sanct [...]fie us as to save us, that we should live no longer to our selves but to him that hath bought us and purchased to himself a peeular people z [...]a [...]ous of Good Works; that he might reign as a King in our hearts who is the King of right­eousenss and who has commanded us to be holy as he is h [...]ly; without which there is no see­ing of the face of a holy God; and si [...]ce it is onely Love and new obediance which proceed from Love that the Lord of Glory hath required of us in return of those unspeakable tok [...]ns of hi [...] Lov [...] to us, O what are we or what is our Love that we should not think all we have two little for so good a God that we should not willingly render unto the Lord our ALL is nothing at all, what is good is of the Lord not ours, and his but just that he should have his own; O then let us not keep back any part of what the Lord hath required of us, but let us turn to him with the whole heart, for it is his by purchase and though he [Page 69] hath in mercy afforded us greater comforts for our use, it is not that our hearts should be taken up in them but that we might have a Santified use with comfort of them, that we might use them to his glory who is the giver of all good things; these hath he given to us for to be our Servants to supply our necessity and if we set a higher price upon them, he can take them from us he has required that we should set our affectiones on things more noble, on things that will never fade away, but are of an induring substance, which if we do in the seeking the Kingdom of Heaven, he has promised that all things shall be added to us; O could we but do so, how sweet and comfortable might our lives be, when being invested in the Robe of our redeemers righte­ousness, we may through him injoy Commu­nion with the Father and live in the assureance of his love, who hath said I will never laave thee or forsake thee, O Blessed promise which if we could but by faith lay hold upon we need not be dismayed nor fear nor be in care for any thing but may with blessed David say, the Lord is on my side I will not fear what Man can do unto me.

MY Sheep hear my Voice, the Sheep of Christ a [...]e few, a little flock, and to be one of these Oh how great a blessing is it? the world is large and full and that the great JEH [...] ­VAH should please to pick out for himself one of a Tribe▪ and one of a Family, a smal remnan [...], a peculiar people, and (thee) ONE, O how great and gratious is thy wonder working God? It could not be from any thing of thy desert but from his tender pitty his bowels of compassion, to thy poor sin­sick soul, O what canst thou render unto the Lord, for all his benefits, what recompence is there for so much mercy, when all is mer­cy thou art made p [...]rtaker of; y [...]a thy whole life it is made up of mercy, thou art, through Grace, O Lord, my gratious God, my ten­der hearted Father in thy Son, And if thou please to water this barren g [...]ound, barren by nature it shall be made a fruitful garden yea thou [Page 71] canst make it bring forth fruit yea much fruit, yea such fruit, in which thou takest delight, in which thou maist have glory is thine own Grace.

And give comfort to this poor unworthy Soul of mine, unworthy in it self but thou dear Lord hast been pleased to favour it with so great evidence of thy Love, O let me Lord for ever [...]nd, these sweet refreshing showers.

O how sweet a thing it is to sit at Wisdoms Gate, at the footsteps of the beautiful gate of the Temple of Sions King, there to behold his glory? As a sheep of Christ to graise upon those Mountains of spices on which the Son of Righteousness shineth, O how glorious art thou in the beauty of holiness, here indeed is rest and here is comfort, true satisfaction and everlasting felicity.

The Lord Jesus Christ, the King of glory, is pleased to stoop so low to poor unworthy creatures, and in the condescention of his gratious Love, to take upon himself the stile of a poor shepherd to his people yet is he such a one who through his grace will teach his sheep to know his voice and follow him, O who can learn this Lesson, Lord, but such whom thou shalt teach therefore, says David blessed is the man whom thou teacheth, and in­structest out of thy Law.

A shepherd leadeth his poor silly sheep, creatures, who of all others have least to defend themselves, into the green pastures, there to feed securely, whilst his watchful eye is over them, least Wolf or Bear should rob him of any one, his care is also for the young and tender Lambs, in cherishing and preserving them from cold and hunger which they cannot bear.

Such is the care of him, who is thy Shepherd O my soul if thou art one that hears his voice if thou art one whom he hath known, whom he hath looked upon in grace and mercy, and so known as to make thee follow him art not thou one of his Sheep? O then, with comfort be assured thou shalt be fed, thou art inriched by this with greater treasure and more ho­nour, then if thou wert the only child unto a King, yea then if thou hadst in thy possession the greate [...]t treasure in the world, know he that is thy shepherd is the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, who doth not only know what thou standest in need of and what is fittest for thee but is willing yea ready to give out of his fullness to supply thy wants, and help thy necessities, then will I go unto my Rock since he hath brought me to behold his Glory and to taste through Grace, [Page 73] the powerful influences of Love, My earhly parents were they Kings or Princes could do no more, but give me life and place to breath in, but Eternal Life and endless Glory hath thy great Kingly shepherd purchased for thee, 'tis no less then a Kingdom, hath it been the fathers good pleasure, to take his little flock whilst here into his gratious Custody that none; no not Satan himself that enemy of Souls, shall ever be able to pluck them out of his hands, Oh let thine eyes be upon him by whom thou livest, that rock and fortress of thy souls salvation, O what comfort is in his smiles. And 'tis he can keep thee in his favour and continuance of his Love, therefore make glad my Soul, O Lord, with the bright beams of thy most glorious countenance; that so my Soul may live; O there is bitterness in thy frowns? when thou hidest thy face I am as those that go down into the pit of utter dark­ness; O 'tis thy presence makes things plea­sant to the soul, and only gives it comfort in this world; O 'tis thy presence fits us for thy will, and keeps humble, and sincere before thee, life is a death unto the soul without thee, O that I might no more offend that Grace by which I live, O Lord take thou my soul▪ though weak into thy everlasting Arms, that so I may no more be drawn aside from thy [Page 74] Commandments nor do the things that may displease thee.

O How good a thing it is, my soul, to be often taken up in this blessed work of self examination; how it doth stand between thee and thy Lord, the Lord will give thee his assistance to help in so great and good a work, if thou wilt make thy addresses to him, with blessed Da­vid commune with thy own heart and be still, surely thine is not without evil? when the wise man sayes the hearts of the Sons of men are full of evil, yea the Lord himself hath de­clared, Gen. 6. 5. v. and every imagination of the thoughts of Mans heart to be only evil, and that continually, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked and who can know it? sayes the Prophet Jer. 17 9. v. none but God, he searcheth the heart and [...]ryeth the reins, Great mistakes through a deceitful heart, thou maist entertain and apply to thy self that comfort which of right belongs not to thee, a deceitful heart saith, oft times Peace [Page 75] where no true peace is, therefore, O how pretious is that peace of God that passeth under­standing▪ that only can make the Soul happy▪ that blessed peace which the Lord Jesus breathed upon his poor disciples, and left them as a glorious legacy of pretious Love, O my soul, It must be Christ in thee, the hope of Glory, must be the author of thy comfort and eternal happiness, therefore sayes the A­postle by this truth try the truth of your condition, examine your selves, whether ye be in the faith, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Prove your own selves know ye not your own selves, that Christ be not in you except you are reprobates, a sad and dismal condition to be rested in, and since it is so needful a thing to be found in Christ.

O my Soul, how requisite would it be, and how much would it add unto thy present and eternal comfort to be fully assured in this point of so great importance, but what should a poor weak creature do, Lord I will cast my self at thy footstool, O do thou prove me and try me, and suffer me not to rest under a deceitful heart, make clear this in the way of prayer, meditation, &c. and to my Soul, that by the spirit speaking peace my soul may be sealed up with everlasting comfort by which [Page 76] to glorifie the riches of thy free Grace for ever.

TO be in Christ is to be a new Creature quickned, inlivened, delivered from the power of sin and Satan, and the deadness of our sinful natures, to serve the living Lord, the spirit is given un­to those whom he hath called by Grace and taken into Covenant with himself, for he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his; and this spirit is holy, humble, gratious, teaching the soul to know the voice of him that gives it; My sheep her my voice, the Lord knows them also, for he hath given them of his own spirit, and so made them to be parta­kers with him of the Divine nature, by which grace the soul comes to be a follower of Je­sus Christ denying ungodliness and sinful lusts.

All these things which are in opposition to [Page 77] so glorious a change, and to be more in con­f [...]mity unto our Lord and Saviour, who hath g [...]ven of his spirit unto poor souls that they might be so, n [...]w the fruits of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long s [...]ff [...]ring, gen [...]ss, goodness, faith weakness, tempera [...]ce, fu [...]filled all in that blessed pattern the Lord Jesus, who out of Love to the poor Soul made him­self an example that thou thereby mightest learn of him instructions.

Now the righteous Lord loves righteousness; and is gratiously pleased to place a delight in that soul that desires to walk humbly before him, having access unto the father by the same spirit of Christ living in the soul; by faith through him to find acceptance at the throne of Grace, and favour in the sight of the great and holy God, now my soul be ear­nest in the search, this great thing ask the as­sistance of thy great JEHOVAH thy tender loving father who only can give grace and promiseth gratiously that he will supply the wants of them that truly seek him, and shall spread their case before him through so rich a mediator, the Mediator of that new and ever­lasting Covenant of grace and mercy, who hath said for the comfort of his poor Worm [...] here whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name▪ believing it shall be done unto you, O is the [Page 78] Lord so gratious and hast thou so great re­fuge to run to, why standest thou here ga­zing?

OH how rich a priviledge is it to be a Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ? hath not my Lord been pleased to give me a heart truly to beg this, yea from my soul to beg that he would cast his yoak upon my neck, that he would accept of me poor worm to be his servant? O how much more did my soul long to be made a door keeper in the house of my God then to injoy the grea [...]est glories of the world? O how hath my soul longed, yea thirsted after the living Lord, that he would please to make me one, whom he would honour with the beholding of [...]is glory not desiring greater priviledge, O but my Soul now see and above all admire the gratious condescen­tion or thy glorious God, who hath not only answered the poor request which he did [Page 79] through grace inable thee to breath out be­fore him, but hath abundantly inlarged his bounty, and filled thee with joy, he hath filled the hungry Soul with good things; with the best things, and given thee not only a sight of his Glory, but, O the abounding Love, the unspeakable goodness, of thy gratious God an interest in that glory, so that thou canst through grace now say thou art my God, thou art my Lord, so great a priviledge to me; thou knowest dear Lord, my soul desires to resine it self to thee, make it such as thou wouldst have it, Lord I am thine, do by me wha [...]soever seemeth good in thy sight, this afternoon the Lord was pleased to bring o­pen home unto my soul the glorious nature of prayer, through the Ministry of our dear Pastors, from the 12 of Rom. to the 12 v. that this prayer is, It is a Saints recreation, A glorious exercise in which the Soul hath access to go through a Media [...]or, whereby a Saint may improve his interest daily at the throne of grace, and make humble confession of our manifold trans­gression [...], to ask things needful for us, these re­main on our part, but to return humble and hearty thanksgivings to the Lord for all our mercies, herein is the Lord glorified; and O what a comfort through Grace is it, when we can give thanks, when we can come and [Page 80] return hearty and humb [...]e thanks at the throne for all the good we have, and do dai­ly receive from the bountiful hands of our great JEHOVAH, Lord be thou pleased to engrave this upon the heart of thy poor ser­vant.

WHo is the giver of this new heart even the Lord of Glory, what is this new heart, it is a pure, single, upright, sincere heart, why doth the Lord in the conversion of a Soul, give him a new heart, because it is the heart; that he requires in duties the sincerity of the soul to walk before him in Love; this cannot an old base carnal [Page 81] heart do, until it be renewed, an humble soul goes with a regenerated Soul, the Lord will give more grace unto the humble (but pride the Lord resisteth.

Oh give thy poor unworthy one more grace and keep my soul humble under the sence and feeling of thy gratious Love, so shall I Lord still praise thee and whilst I live extol the riches of thy grace, O to injoy this sweet communion with thy glorious self.

Dear Lord this is more delightful and more pretious to me then to injoy the greatest treasures upon e [...]rth, how pretious is the Lord unto my soul? These are the excel­lencies and the glorious priviledge of a rege­nerate soul, a new creature, whose heart is chan­ged, through the gratious opperation of the holy spirit, the whole nature is changed the glorious Image of the Lord Jesus is r [...]newed on it, it is made an heir of Heaven, a tem­p [...]e of the Holy Ghost, a member of Christ.

BLessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled, they shall be made to drink deep of the wells of Salvation, they shall be filled in the mansions of eternal glory, when others shall be deprived of the least crum of comfort tis he that seeks, shall find, and he that knocks shall have the door opened unto him, seek ye first the kingdom of Heaven, and the righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be added unto you, things of this life are but additional acts of his bounty,

The great and prime part of a Christians work, is to make sure of Heaven and his e [...]er­nall happyness hereafter, O great is that good­ness of the Lord, how abundant his com­passion, his love to poor sinful man, who would not have them set their hearts on such poor low things, as only this world affords; but a Kingdom of glory, yea an everlasting Kingdom, that shall never fade, a kingdom [Page 83] in which dwelleth righteousness, the righte­ousness of God in Christ Jesus, no less then these things would the Lord have his poor people covet after, the rest are but things less material, and shall be given over and a­bove, these things shall be added to you, O wonderful goodness.

Such great and glorious priviledges, such promises, such additional comforts, Oh what is man that thou shouldest be so mindful of him, or the son of man that thou shouldest thus delight to do him good, Oh my soul this is the Lords doings, it is the great JEHOVAH, is thus pleased to stoop and condescend on terms of mercy, to take poor sinful souls into his favour, I, and he willeth, nothing less to them then an eternal weight of Glory, and is not this worth seeking after, O sure it is to that soul, who hath had a tast of what it is, su:e heavenly treasures far exceed all earthly va­nities, then surely in proportion to the goodness of them, should the desire of the [...]oul be let out after them, Therefore, O let thy affections be set on heavenly things, since it is the goodness of the Lord to thee that thou mightest [...]ast that he is gratious, that thou shouldest by sweet experiences find him to be faithful in whatsoever he hath promi­sed [Page 84] for good unto thy soul, thy poor immor­tal soul, which without his grace had perished to all eternity, O 'tis for good to thee, the Lord hath thus commanded thee to seek that everlasting Kingdom, O tis thy soul will be the gainer, and thou, through grace shall one day find it so.

O remember my Soul, thy Covenant with God in the day of thy espousal, then when it was the time of love, when he was pleased to put thee in the clefts of the rock Christ Jesus, and then to cause his g [...]ory to p [...]s [...] be­fore thee, to make with thee an everlasting Covenant, setled and sure; th [...]t in the un­changeableness of his Grace shall stand for ever, wer't thou but all wayes in the con­templations of these heavenly joyes thy heart could find no time to place it self on such mean things as this poor world affords, to be rich in Grace, and to be heirs of Glo­ry, O how much better is it then to be in­cumbred with the things below, to have Communion with God, and to joy in the presence of thy King, is far better then to be in favour with the greatest Princes upon Earth, oh let my soul, dear father, live daily in the rich experience of this blessed truth more and more, whilst my abode is here, oh [Page 85] let me find the daily quickning of thy grati­ous spirit, to injoy thy presence is to live in Heaven whilst here, oh t [...]s thy self that makes the passage sweet to Glory, oh tis the cords of thy Love, that makes the soul to run with hun­grings and breathings after thee, that makes it love thy precepts more then its dayly food, thus thou hast made me through thy grace ex­perimentally to tast, O then hide not thy face, dear Lord, from my soul; The Loves wherewith thou hast delighted my soul, goes beyond all earthly glories; oh in the sence of this let my soul walk before my God in its integrity, yea for this will I go unto my God and Father for daily supplies since he it is that giveth liberally.

IS death a terror to a g [...]atious Soul? what is there in it can affright thee, when as the sting is gone, let it put on its worse ill shapen dress it can, it shall produce no harm unto thee.

Death shall but [...]elease thee from a wretched world of misery, and prefer thee to a glo­rious Crown of blessedness the one will make thee everlasting miserable, the other eternally happy in the fruition of the fathers Love in the full, free, and perfect injoyment of his glorious presence unto all eternity, oh then how happy how blessed a thing it is to be dissolved and be with Christ, where sin sh [...]ll no more haunt thee, here, poor soul, thou canst not chuse but see thy self daily in­volved with sin, followed with corruptions one of the worst of sinners; and in that thy shame should pull thee down into the dust, and make thee daily mourn in the abhorrency of thy vile self, since 'tis a God of so much Love that thou dost daily sin against, oh wretched Soul maist thou cry out who shall [Page 87] deliver thee from this body of death.

Yet O my soul take comfort in a dying Lord and glory in the strength of him, who is the God of thy salvation; O let his strength be magnified in thy weakness, and the riches of his grace appear more glorious in the sa­ving of such a one, thou well maist say thou art the worst of sinners, and yet through grace thou canst say thou dost abhor sin, dost thou delight in it, no, tis thy burthen and since tis so, take comfort.

In the remembrance of him who sweetly sayes, come unto me, he hath taken out the sting, and is become thine advocate, yea, and will plead thy cause, through his own merit, and everlasting Righteousness, in which through free grace, and infinit mercy he will present thee spotless before the throne of that Heavenly Grace;

But since, O Lord, it is thy Childrens priveledge not to sin sure tis our duty to be looking up to thee for new supply of strength to be kept daily in thy fear O how blessed is the Soul whom thou shalt keep, and [...]each out of thy law? whom thou shalt feed with the pleasant fruits of Righteousness, and cause to rest under thy shaddow with much delight, sure here alone is pleasure and ever­lasting [Page 88] peace; to feed with the flocks of Christ and to lye down in those pleasant pastures of eternal comfort, where Christ the beloved of thy soul shall preserve thee unto all eter­nity;

YEt if it be his pleasure, by a just cause to keep thee back; yet hast thou cause to hless him for ever for Jesus Chrsst that rich mercy, that un­speakable goodness, & for that word wherein he is received unto thee, O my soul through the Spirit of that infinite grace, here mayest thou sollace thy self in divine Loves, and fill thy self with joy, hast thou but faith, then may thy joy be full, in Meditating of his [Page 89] gratious Attributes; he is the Lord God All Mighty, but if not so to thee, what availeth thee couldest not thou say, through grace, this it my Lord, this great God is my Father, how miserable would thy condition be to have this God to be thy enemy, though thou wert full of what this world could give thee, of highest injoyment yet shalt thou be for ever miserable; but thy God is a merciful God, O it is good for thee that he is so, he is a God whose Glory is his Goodness; and his good­ness is his glory; a God who is still▪ the same and changeth not, man may be said in all he doth or saith to be but vanity as a thing from himself, he being but a finite Creature, but who shall gain say the great and everlasting God, whose power is in and from himself, he is in deed a faithful God, a God that keepeth Covenant with those whom he through grace, hath taken into Covenant with him self;

THen, O my soul, is the Lord unchange­able, is he still the same, and will be so, O then re [...]oyce in the rich mercies of thy everlasting God; here is com­fort for thee in your assureance of his love un­to the end, [...] have made an everlasting covenant with the house of Jacob, and if thou beest of the seed of Jacob, this promise sure belongs to thee, Jesus Christ in Testates thee in this new covenant, who hath once for all offered up himself a Sacrifice, the everlasting satis­faction of divine justice, for those whom by the Lords gratious determinate will should have an intrest in this rich redemption, O rich ind [...]ed, being purchased (not with cor­ruptable things) but with the pretions blood of Jesus Christ, that lamb of God without spot, or blemish, tis want of faith, poor soul, makes thee doub [...]ful though thou manifest; as to thy self, condemn thy self as one unworthy, [Page 91] to hope for the least mercy, much less to be­lieve such rich priviledges belong to thee yet considering; my soul (for to thee I write) thou art commanded to believe and without faith it is impossible to please God, and the Lord is thus wonderfully pleased in the great condescention of his gratious Love, to take it as a glory done to him from a poor creature, though the good of believeing is to us, the glory of the act unto the Lord, who gives the power to any poor creature to believe, so to believe as to see so great a Salvation; in so believeing, how can the soul but stand in ad­mirations and glorifie the riches of that grace, which caused, the great IEHOVAH to look upon so poor a worm, with such a Love, Be­hold with what manner, of Love the Father hath loved us, that we, even we, might become the children of God heirs with and in Christ Jesus of an eternal inheritance incorruptable and full of glory; and that thou mayest be filled with joy in these thy sweetest contemplations; has not the Lord then pleased, sometimes to evidence his gratious love, to thee in Christ Jesus and therein seek thee by his gratious word, with that holy Spirit, of promise to be thy God and Father?

O he is the same God still, and if he loved thee, it was with an everlasting Love, if he hath [Page 92] taken thee into covenant with himself, it was to be thy G [...]d for ever, hast thou h [...]d this saving grace made sure to thee, fear not, but that the Lord not onely can but will preserve his own, he wi [...]l ass [...]edly fu [...]fill and [...]erefect that good work he hath begun in thee; was one drop of Christs Blood [...]d in vain [...] was it not of power sufficient to accomplish the end, for which it was shed even the bringing many Sons to glory; surely the Lord shall not come short of what he hath designed, the Divil may strive to pluck thee from thy God, but remember that g [...]atuus [...]ord of thy re­deemer unto his Sheep, that hear his blessed voice and follow him; I give unto the eternal life, and they shall never peris [...], whom the Lord hath owned, neither shall any man pluck them out of m [...] hands: O what a gratious priviledge is here, thus to be kept by an Al­mighty power, the power of that great God, out of whose hand, no man, nay Satan, nor any of his Instruments, can ever be able to pluck thee; Christ hath purchased an everlasting redemp [...]ion and to those who are in him, there is no condemnation; O blessed, and for ever bles­sed be the Lord; for this sweet truth, and f [...]r the evid [...]ncing of it in some measure to my poor unworthy soul; O how good a God is our God, who hath not onely stored up such [Page 93] rich mercies for poor worthless ones, but is also please to leave it on record and wills that his poor creatures should be made happy in the know [...]edge of this their eternal happiness, O then, my soul, take comfort in those bleed­ing wounds of thy sweet Saviour; yet be thou humbled for it was thy sins that pierced his tender side, he knew no sin, yet for thy sake became sin to bear thy punishments thou wast his enemy, yet he could dye for thee, to recon­cile thee to himself; when thou wast in thy blood, a loathsome creature, then pitty moved him, to shew compassion to thee, that thou might live, he loves thee first, that thou shouldest then Love him; tis not thy flesh makes thee accepted but thy Saviour; thou art still a soathsome lump of filthyness; but by that comliness which Christ hath put upon thee thou art accepted through an intrest in him, thou shalt be beautiful in the sight of thy Lord and Father; this is O soul thy priviledge, renew thy intrest by thy daily approach and acting faith upon those glorious objects; let Christ be all in all to thee that thou having nothing in thy self might see thy ALL in him and fetch thine ALL from him; O blessed be that fountain in whom all fullness, yea ever­lasting fulness dwells?

WHo is it the Lord invites, is it not poor distressed sinners, O it is such he calls to tast his mercies loe, every one that thirsteth come, and come freely these tenders of my Love, these are the tenders of Love, the Soul satisfying comforts, come unto me, bring hither thy wearied soul though laden with iniquities I will give thee rest, cast thy burthen upon me? O merciful Redeemer that art thus pleased for the good of man to bear the [Page 95] burthen of our sins, those loads of Iniquities, which we should have sunk under in wrath, to all Erernity.

But since the Lord hath in his wisdom, in his goodness, in the abundant riches of his Grace, been pleased to be the sinners friend, O let it be of great use unto my soul who am the greatest of sinners 'tis thou who seest my wearyed tired Soul.

O blessed be thy holy Name, for the ri­ches of this grace, thy unspeakable Love that wilt not despise the poorest nor unworthy soul that nee [...]s thy help, although they can­not crave it, nor dare not lift up their eyes unto the Throne of thy Grace, yet wilt thou be gratious unto whom thou wilt be grati­ous, and because thy tender comp [...]ssions fail not, therefore thou art pleased to have mercy upon me, a poor wretched creature, ah to thy name be glory and let my soul dear Lord for ever live thy praise, for thou alone canst work that frame upon my heart, that only pleaseth thee, O 'tis into thy gra­tious hands I would commit my soul, work in it Lord thy will, since I am thine through grace, O let me live no longer to my self, for thou art my strength by which work O Lord in me such a child like frame of spirit, as becomes thine, to yeild thee in true obe­dience [Page 96] with holy fear, O let the Image of my Lord be formed in me, that so in his light I may see light, that I may be filled with joy, and comfort and may have something to su [...]port me in an evil day, a day of tryal and temptation, My soul, O meditate upon the unbounded love of God in Christ thy Lord, and the Lord in the abundant riches of his Grace in ab [...]e thee with a sincere heart and sound judgement to apply these sweet soul experienced comforts and relishes of Love, wherewith thou hast, through grace been comforted often, and since prayer and Me­ditations is the way to make safe the soul; when Satan with his subtle Engines seeks to batter; Lord let him not prevail but let thy grace be now sufficient for me, and now my soul tast here, feed upon the sweetness of this call, Come unto me, it may be thou hast said thy sins are many and thou darest not come, an but consider who it is that calls thee is it not Christ thy Lord, yet he commands thee because thy sins are many and thou art troubled with the weight of them, therefore come, leave not thy sins behind thee, for that thou canst not do, but bring them to the feet of Christ thy Saviour, he in his grace will ease the burthen wherewith thy soul was laden and give thee a blessed exchange, [Page 97] even his own righteousness imputed to thee, so hast thou found a righteousness in him, made thine by which being cloathed, thou hast access unto the Throne of Grace, and shalt find favour with thy God, yea the Lord will be thine everlasting Righteousness and though thou art polluted and defiled with sin and corruption, yet in Righteousness were thou called, and Christ will cloath thy naked Soul with his Righteousness, a garment without spot or blemish, O come and come daily at his call, give no time to Satan to cast it in thy Teeth that thou shalt one day perish through the mul [...]itude of thine iniqui­ties, for Christ is mighty and of power to save unto the utmost, and though thou canst see nothing in thy self but that which might bring eternal wrath upon thy head every moment yet here is thy comfort in that he hath accepted thee in the beloved, for whose sake he can deny thee nothing and therefore O Lord to thee be Glory for ever, who in thy love and tender compassion to my poor Soul hast delivered it from the pit of cor­ruption.

For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back, O that my Soul made living by thy Grace might ever praise thee; who is it calls me, O my Soul; behold the Lamb of God made [Page 98] Man to take away the sins of the World, Christ Jesus the eternal Son of God dis-throned himself to be a Saviour, of poor sinful Man, lost and undone Man, for whom there was no way of Redemption, but by him, and by him alone, O here is love indeed; Behold I come says he to do thy will O God he was willing to come from heaven to earth from Glory to be cloathed with flesh, the garment of sinful man and all that thou mayest be cloa­thed with Glory, immortality eternal life, Be­hold O my Soul & be filled with holy admira­tion, with what manner of Love the father hath loved us, that so we should, we sinners be cal­led the Children of the great and Holy God; a God who inhabitest eternity, whose dwel­ling is in the highest heavens, who is the King of Glory, and being come to call poor sinners co repentance through the eternal wis­dom of the father perfected redemption by taking our natures upon him, he who knew no sin became sin for us, that we should be made in him partakers of the Righteousness, which is by faith in his blood, he hath paid thy debts and cancelled thy bonds, he is become thy surety, and has broken down that pertiti­on wall which was between thee and thy fathers Glory, hath made a way that new and living way, through his own blood to [Page 99] approach the Throne of Grace, and is there now making intercession for thee, O blessed is that Soul whose iniquities thou hast covered and whose sin thou hast pardoned; and blessed be that Soul to whom thou (in grace) shal [...] be plea­sed to impute no sin, for how great O Lord are our dayly sinnings against thee, the least of which were enough to separate this poor im­mortal Soul of mine for ever from thy gra­tious presence, but 'tis thy grace which makes thy unworthy creature hope, and the unchangeableness of thy most glorious will? O therefore it is such poor unworthy sinful creatures were not long ago consumed, O blessed be God for thy grace and thy long suffering, mercy whereby thou bearest and hast pitty on thy poor redeemed ones; O then my Soul fly thou unto the Throne of Grace.

Loose not so great an opportunity of coming to thy Saviour, refuse not so great love tendred unto thee, the bearing so great a burthen, the weight of which would sink thee down into the bottomless pit of eternal perdition, under the heavy wrath of God, there to have perished to all eternity; O the unfathomed and transcendant love of thy God and Heavenly Father? O my Soul, how canst thou read and not live ever in the me­ditations [Page 100] of such great and glorious Love, as this where with the Lord hath loved thee, he was content to give himself a ransome un­to death to satisfie the Justice of his Father, and to regain that favour for thee, which thou by sin hadst lost, he was content not only to forsake the bosom of his father to empty himself of all his glory; but to come down upon this sinful earth, he who was the glory of the whole world, was content to confine himself in a Virgins Womb, he who had possession of the utmost parts of the earth was now content with a poor lodging in a stable, he who is a King of Glory was p [...]ea­sed to take upon him the form and habit of a servant, and all for thee, he was content to be come poor and low that thou through his poverty mightest become rich, he who with one blast of his Nostrils could have consu­med at once his enemies was now content to be scourged, buffeted, spit upon, crowned with Thorns, and all this to purchase life for sinners, he who was equal with God, the ex­press image of his fathers person, he the Son of God, the dearly beloved of his Soul, was sweetly content to bear the scoffs and base reproaches of sinful ma [...]e and prayed for them, Father forgive them for they know not what they do, this the Lord Jesus was pleased [Page 101] to undergo for thee, nor is this all, but O those bloody sweats which run down his ten­der cheeks for thy hard heart, those terrible agonies of Soul he felt having the whole wrath of God due unto thee▪ and the world of sinners poured forth upon himself, being smitten as with the strokes of an enemy, which made him cry out, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, these are the grati­ous evidences of the Love of God to these poor sinful Souls and thus hateful is sin in the eyes of a holy God, as not to spare it in his dear and only Son, who never sinned but in that he took upon him our sins, he must also bear our punishment; he himself bear our ini­quities in his own body, upon the tree, he became a curse for thee, to redeem thee, from the curse of the Law, this was the love of thy Saviour, O behold the Love of thy Redeemer how powerful and constraining is this Love, was ever any Love like this? Hardly shall we see a Man lay down his Life, for us when we were enemies, to be buried in a Grave that with him thy sins might be buried in ever­lasting forgetfulness, he rose again that in him thou mightest be glorified, and to pre­pare a place for thee in endless Glory, where he is now at the right hand of God making intercession for thee, who would not have [Page 102] an Interest in this Christ, who would not be in union with this Saviour, O Soul tast and behold the goodness of this Lord in whom it hath pleased the Father all fulness should dwell, Oh the sweet constraining power of his tran­scendant Love, who loved thee when thou wert miserable to make thee happy, O who would not fear thee, O thou King of Na [...]i­ons, and now what hath thy glorified Re­deemer, thy Lord required of thee for all his love to thee he caused thee to cast thy burden upon him, when weary and heavy la­den, and imposeth nothing upon thee, but a sweet and easie yoke, take my yoke upon you; be intressed in my Love, what is this yoke but a sweet complacency of love in uniting of the parties loving, Soul, saith the Lord of Lords give me thy sins, and take my self, to be thy Saviour, take my yoke on thy neck, that so thou mayest become in union with me, thou maist become mine and I thine; as my tender Spouse? Lord, what are we poor empty sinful creatures that thou shou dest thus condescend, to woe, invite intreat, such poor despicable creatures, who mightest command us by thy power to do whatever pleaseth thee.

O were it not the infinite goodness of our [Page 103] God to poor sinful man, thou mightest have, left us to have perished in our iniquities, and raised up children of the stones to praise thee, O sweet condescending love for us to be yoked in your affections unto thee and from enemies become thus thy friends; to receive the yoke of Christ it is to receive the love and commands of Christ and be united as a branch unto the vine by which thou doest injoy true Spiritual communion with thy God; what happiness like this? how great and many are the priviledges that come by him; O blessed be God for this love, and the eternal riches of his grace in effecting and calling thee to so great an eternal weight of glory, O had it not been through free grace what benefit couldest thou have had of this most glorious redemption by Jesus Christ? what power couldest thou have had to come and cast thy self at his feet u [...]der the weight of thy sins it was free grace that led the out, to see thine own insufficency, unto any thing that was good, and thy miserable condition without a Christ, O was it not free grace and mercy by which the Lord was pleased to draw there­by the cords of love, unto the Lord Jesus by whom a lone thou hast redemption; O what hadest thou been and what had been thy life had it not been for this sweet crown of all [Page 100] [...] [Page 101] [...] [Page 102] [...] [Page 103] [...] [Page 104] thy comforts; therefore O Lord to thee be glory for the riches of thy grace, by which my soul is yet alive to praise thee; and blessed be thy mercy, for it is great to me poor mise­rable sinner, what are the priviledges thou injoyest through this sweet union with thy Saviour; O surely they are enough to make rhee live for ever in the meditations of them, who can fathome that bottomless Ocean? O how canst thou comprehend that which is in comprehensible; this love which passeth un­derstanding, into which the more thou sear­chest the more thou admirest, O what canst thou say, but be filled with holy admiration, to behold with what manner of Love the Fa­ther, the omnipotent King of Kings, and the eternal Lord who reigns in endless Glory hath loved thee,

HOw wonderful excellent, of how great concern, to know him a­right? Help thou my Soul d [...]ar Lord to meditate on this sw [...] incomprehensible subject, O fill it with this Rich and Heavenly Treasure; O let me not only know, but sollace my self in the fountain of this Eternal comfort, did it not please the father out of infinite love and pitty to poor lost and undone wretc [...]es to find out a way for their Redemption, not by the blood of Bulls and Goats, whereby a yearly atone­ment was Typically made for the appeasing of his Wrath, no but a full and satisfactory Redemption by the pretious blood of Jesus Christ as of a Lamb without blemish, now what was this Lamb but a divine brance of Glory, [Page 106] equal with the Father, the dear son of his Love, for whom it was his gratious pleasure to provide a body, for a sacrifice that thereby poor man who had lost himself by disobedi­ence in a sinful body of death might in the obedience of Jesus Christ, in his body, and blood, and through his merrits find ever­lasting life, such was the love and pitty of the great and holy God there being no o­ther way for our restoration, but to part with the dearly beloved of his soul, and to bring him under his severest anger, [...] he paid to Justice the ulmost farthing, and such was the gratious pleasure of our dear Redeemer who was content it shou'd be so, Lo [...] [...] to [...] thy will O God, O matchless goodn [...]ss? me­thinks I s [...]e th [...] heart and affection of my dear Redeemer in this work putting the father in mind of his determinate will, sacrifice and burnt offerings thou wouldest no [...], but a body hast thou prepared or fitted me, then said I, loe I come, In the volumn of this look is is written of me, to do thy will, O God, in sacrifices and burnt offerings for sin thou hadst no pleasure but Lord thou hast spoken of me and fitted me for the full and compleat satisfaction to [...]hy Justice, and here I am, loe I come to do thy will, O my God I am ready to give my self a ransome, for the good of poor Souls, [Page 107] Poor Soul see what matter here is then of com­fort in the application of this great transcendent love unto thy self, it was not thy desents but his great mercy made him own thee.

O this constraining love, let it work more upon thy heart to draw thy will to his, he came to do and was obedient to his fathers will for thee, and wilt thou not be subject unto him, that hath done so much for thee?

Now the work for which Jesus Christ came into the world was to save sinners such as by faith lay hold upon him for Eternal life God was pleased to make man in his first Creation in a perfect state of Innocency gave him power in his own hands either to stand or fall, but poor man that would be wise, yea wiser then God himself soon lost hi [...] happiness for one poor temptation.

So having broken the Law, lies liable to the curse of it, to all eternity, it being my possible that a finite creature, should ever be able to make restitution to an infinite God, by keeping that Law, that Righteous law, that pure law, which in one very thought is bro­ken; the Lord therefore seeing the sad con­dition of poor fallen man, being under the curse of the Law, and wholly unable to make the least satisfaction to Divine Justice, was infinitely pleased in Grace and Me [...]cy to [Page 108] look with pitty on them, and to find out this way the only way for their deliverance, so he was pleased to lay help upon one that was mighty, and infinitely able to save unto the utmost, those that come unto him, Christ then by his sufferings and obedience hath finish­ed the work his Father gave him to do, h [...] hath paid the uttermost farthing his Fathers Justice can demand, he hath answered the Law in taking upon himself the curse of the law, so that he was made not only sin for us, but the curse also, but Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, in being made a curse for us, Gal. 3. 13. v. Thus hath the Lord Jesus Christ regained Eternal Life, which man had lost and to him hath the Father given this eternal life.

Even unto the Son, whom he hath made heir of all things and it is by having a pro­priety in Christ, this life is to be had, 'tis he that hath the son hath life, this life eternal, and he that hath not the son hath not life, 1 Joh. 5. 12. v.

O What wonderful sweetness is there in this knowledge; what Divine excellency is in it, what does this import to me unless I know him to be mine? this is the knowledge of him which brings eternal life, when I can through grace, have the witness of this in my Soul, and that the father hath been pleased in his infinite grace to give me unto Christ, as one for whom he hath shed his blood and taken into Covenant with himself.

Poor Soul wha [...] a mercy is it to come to the knowledge of what the Lord Jesus is; and what he hath done for poor sinful Man, this little comforteth till thou knowest what he hath done for thee, it is the particular appli­cation of it to thy self that makes thee hap­py, since thou art one whom he is pleased in infinite grace and mercy to make choice of, [Page 110] and thus to set his Soul upon thee. Thou mightest have heard of Christ & yet have pe­rished to all eternity, it would have been smal comfort for thee when in a storm ready to be beaten in pieces with the waves, though thou didst see a ship afar off sai [...]ing from thee what good would the [...]ight of that do thee? but it is those whom the Lord is pleased to take & shut into the Ark Christ Jesus that are secure, that are preserved from the storms & tempests, e­ven unto eternal life; O live still in his favour. by paying thy vows to thy dear Redeemer, grieve not the holy spirit of his Grace, by which he hath thee unto the day of Redemption, O consi­der him not only given of the Lord as Priest; but also as King, & Prophet, the Lord give thee a heart to own him in his Kingly Office, and help thee by meditation to apply thy Soul in faith unto his soveraign power; and hath the Lord redeemed thee, poor Soul look up and see thy happiness thy debt is paid and thou art set at liberty.

HOw sweet and comfortable is it to sit at mercies Gate, and be fed by the boun­tiful hand of Graces, Charity, those who are full of imployments bless themselves in abundant of what they possess, forgetting the God of mercies, from whence they slow, but those who receive their mercies daily from the Lord they are truly sweet to that Soul, that sees how its whole life depends on mercy, and every thing it hath or can in joy comes all from mercy, this is sweet to it and the soul thus sensible of mercy will be seri­ous in praises.

HOw apt is the foolish heart of man to be puffed up with strong conceits of its own abilities and think it self, something when indeed it is nothing, O a monstrous piece of deceit, therefore the Lord in his in­finite wisdom suffers Souls to wander a little and so discovers the hearts deceitfulness, that so poor creatures might go more out of themselves, and see their own in abilities to any good, and that they have nothing to depend on but the sure mercies of Iesus Christ have I not said with David, surely I shall never be m [...]ved, these sweet experiences of mercy and constraining love hath so in­gaged my Soul to walk uprightly before God, but I see there is no strength in me, nor am I able to do any thing without fresh sup­plies of strengthning grace from thee▪ there­fore dear father be not far from helping thy poor worm that cries for succour from thee, shall I ever give the reigns of my heart, to run after the foolish pleasures of the world?

No not in the least, there is a snare, and Sa­tan [Page 114] lurking to deceive, therefore, O Soul, be watchful, and dispise them all as things un­worthy of thy love, why they are vain and foolish, but increase thou still after that greater good, that Souls enamouring sweet­ness, consisting in eternal pleasu [...]es, in the most glorious Mansions of heaven, where are celestial treasures and transcendant comforts.

HOw poor a thing is worldly honour yet how it is hunted as if that were the chiefeli good, as if the only way to make them happy were to have respect and honour from this foolish vain World, poor Soul why are we so deceived with vain shadows, whilst letting go the substance, that Soul is truly honourab [...]e which is truly gra [...]ious.

O how much better is it to be blessed with the least smile of Christ, then to be made empress of the whole world, man being in true honour understandeth not, abideth not but is like the beast that perisheth, soon forgetting his Maker, and from whence he is t [...]ken, not willing to remember that he is dust and thither he must [...]eturn, his heart is taken up with other things, how to exceed in state, in richness of attire, in gallant speeches yea is there not too many who would thing it most honourable to be most vitious, O how my Soul bleeds for their desperate blind­ness!

O why will you thus rebel, and cause the [Page 116] Lord to pour forth the Vials of his Wrath upon your heads, who thus prophane that holy and blessed name of the eternal glorious Majesty at whose presence Angels cover their faces and at whose voice the earth shook, O what a Monster is sinful man, whilst in the state of Nature.

But now poor Soul go not too far in searching others wayes; Keep more at home unvail thy sad deceitful heart, thou hast cause enough to lament and sadly bewail thy own miscarriages. Is there not still rebel [...]ion, harbours in thy breast? O too too much, many for rebelling against an earthly Prince go not unpunished, but from whom dost thou revolt but from thy dear and loving fa­ther a tender hearted God who through riches of Grace looked upon thee, had mer­cy on thee, and owned thee in his dear Son, the Son of his love▪ what punishment m [...]yest thou not be thought worthy of, that shoul­dest grieve the spirit of God, who hath abounded thus in love and mercy unto thee, Ah wretched soul, when he hath hid it from thousands of others.

Surely had but the Lord been pleased to cause one of the least glimps of Glory to shine upon several of their rejected Souls, they had exceeded thee in holiness of life, sincerity [Page 117] of heart, and all humble obedience, they would not have had those daily fail [...]ngs thou art attended with, had but they tasted of that heavenly banquet that soul inriching trea­sure which is laid up in an eternity of Glory, would they not more thirst and long? O could they be satisfied without being swal­lowed up in Glory, without that immediate possession that faith gives, Heb. 11. 1. v. Would they see any thing to take delight in, in this World below Christ, would they not set the Lord ever before them, and desire to be ever with him, but what art thou, and how far comest thou short in every duty, but O my Lord in thee is my hope, here is my comfort still, for what am I without supports and supplies from thee, I had fainted long ago hadst not thou by special grace upheld me, and given in comforts from thy self.

Sure Lord it was from free love, and thou hast said thy love in [...]ures for ever, thou art God and therefore changeth not, O there­fore it is that I was not consumed long ago, and since thy Grace dear Lord is still the same. O let my Soul for ever trust in thee, till thou shalt please to free me from this body of death, in which I cannot serve thee without sin, for when I would do good, evil is present before me, O but blessed be the Lord that [Page 118] there is a deliverance wrought and that by Jesus Christ, and that in him I am not left without this blessed hope, which being re­vealed in due time, I shall be released and enter into my fathers joy, O Heavenly joy in­deed, where thou shalt be for ever happy, in the most glorious presence of thy Lord from whence nothing shall part thee, and where thou shalt never sin more, but be for ever singing HAL-LELUJAH'S to his holy Glorious Name, for this then will I wait, but Lord grant me help from us above to run with patience that race which thou hast Lord appointed me to run, with perseve­rance in true Godliness unto the end.

But I have tasted the abundant goodness of my God therefore shall my Soul trust in thee, and though my sins are many, yet thy love is unchangeable, O blessed be thou, O Lord, and blessed in thy everlasting love, by which thou wert pleased to look upon so poor and base a creature, and cloath her na­ked soul.

(When new born by grace, in Eternal Wisdom) with that most glorious robe of Righteousness, through which to afford it so glorious a priviledge as to come into thy presence, even I a poor worm and to plead with the great and holy, O infinite and transcendant love of the eternal glorious God? to poor sinful Dust and Ashes?

And now what hath the Lord required in return of this his great and tender love, by which he hath broken thy bands, but love for love again, canst thou not love the Lord with all thy heart that thus hath loved thee, What love, Lord, was ever like that of thine to me and shall it be for gotten?

O shall my stupid heart forget what Christ hath done for me? O let it be more deeply ingraven in my Soul?

But now my Soul should we examine how far thou hast gone in thy Masters work he hath committed to thee, how far short doest [Page 121] thou come of doing what thou wert com­manded, yet through grace, my Soul desires to be found faithful in the talent thou Lord hast in mercy committed to my trust, and nothing more hath my soul desired then to be made conformable to thy blessed will in all things, what is thy will O Lord, let my will be wholly assenting thereto, thou art he who knowest what is best for me, O how sweet and how much pleasure should I find in affliction [...] or in the greatest evils this life could inflict upon me, could but I find my God in them.

O how sweet and glorious would be the darkest and obscurest corner of the earth might I but find there thy glorious presence, far better then the Courts of Princes, what are they Lord or all the pleasures of this vain world to one hours communion with thy blessed self.

O blessed be the holy name of my most gratious Lord, who caused me to say with blessed David, I had rather be a door-keeper in the House of my God then to injoy the greatest pleasures and pre­ferments upon the earth.

Yea Lord so do I fear my frail Nature and my Deceitful Heart, that [Page 122] I dare not ask thee any thing of that, least I fall into temptation, or be taken in a snare; and so forget my God; but this would I do, dear [...]ord, wholly resign my self into thy gratious hands, what Lord thou seest fitting for me, let me be there with content.

My time, O Lord, which here I have is short, and thy pleasure shall suffice, since thou hast chose for me an Heritage Eternally in thy presence where is fulness of joy, and riv [...]rs of pl [...]asures for evermore, but this, Lord; let me beg, since t [...]s thy gratious pleasure thus to condescend to suffer such poor Worms to plead with thee, O that thy grace may be sufficient for me to answer all my wants and subdue all my corruptions, and every thing that stands in opposition to thy Glory, that I may pass the time of my so journing here i [...] fear to offend my good and gratious God, whom I have not found flack concerning his promise, but infinitely beyond what I dare ask;

For Lord in thee are all my fresh springs, and thou only knowest of what I stand in need, this is my comfort that through grace I can say, O let me ever remember it unto thy Glory that though thou feed me with the bread of affliction yet thou art my God and, though I am a poor unworthy sinful creature [Page 123] yet art thou still a God that changeth not, but thou hast made with me through thy free grace and mercy an everlasting Covenant, which shall never be revoked.

FIx thou, O Lord, my Soul upon those heavenly Mansions those Celestial Glories where thy presence dwells, then shall I say Lord make thou here my resting place, my soul desires to be with thee and to behold thy Glory, man in his best estate is altogether vanity, and yet the infinite and holy God sees matter of pitty in him, yea he pittyed them in their low estate because his mercies indure for ever, it was mercy caused him to take such pitty of the poor Soul, when in thy blood, when poor and mi­serable, wretchedly miserable, and he is the same God still, not only able but willing to con­tinue merciful ye the mercy of the [Page 124] Lord is from everlasting to everlasting unto them that fear him; and as the heavens are in height above the earth; my poor soul look up then and see. O see what great things the Lord hath done for thee; it is [...]e the holy one of Israel who in habiteth eternity, who dwell­etl [...] in the [...]ighest heavens in the infinite and in compre [...]ensiable God the King of glory the Lord of hosts, omnipotent in power, Majestyes, and g [...]ory, omnipotent in every place, a God w [...]ose name is wonderfull, and who gloryeth in his mercy, because he de­lighteth to be gratious, tis he whose own arm brought Salvation for thee and hath redeem­ed thy life from destruction, and saved and called thee out of the cruel bo [...]dage of him who sought thy finall destruction; O there­fore, my soul, forever bless the Lord and for­get not all his benefits; let them be written on the table of thy heart for an everlasting me­moriall, this great King of Heaven and earth that hath condescended so far as to stoop to the poor sinfull dust and ashes, from whom thou deservest nothing but frowns, and eter­nall wrath, begs thy acceptance of him to be thy Saviour behold I stand at the door and knock O open those everlasting doors that the king of glory may come in, A [...]d take up his abode in the poor Soul so ever, O how [Page 125] bless [...]d is that place where thou wilt dwell; shall I not be kept? O keep me from sin, from grieving that holy spirit of grace, O come sweet S [...]viour take up thy rest here in my poor n [...]ked Soul, and let my resting place be under the shadow of thy wings, then shall I fear no ill for thou art my support and comfort for ever.

My Soul what great use mayest thou make of this great grace, what singular comforts mayest thou reap from this great benefit, if this gr [...]at God be thy Father, poor Soul here is grace indeed why then as a father pittyeth his children so he is pleased to pitty thee; O he considers thy frailty, and that thou art but dust, therefore as a tender father who hath long waited that he might be gratious, he still retaineth mercy, his everlasting mercy unto those he hath been pleased to take into his everlasting Covenant, Is this God thy Father? O then poor Soul how greatly art thou honoured? Is it no small thing in the eye of David to become the Son in Law unto an earthly King, and shall it not be a great thing in thy account to be the Daughter of so great a King? Ah my poor Soul hath the Lord thus honoured thee hath he i [...]d [...]ved thee with so great a Glory: [Page 126] O then walk worthy thereof.

VVilt thou dishono [...] him that gave thee breath, and formed thee out of the dust to live and praise him, who hath purchased thee to b [...] a peculiar one unto himself: O wilt thou defile that glory by thy unworthy walking? If thine earthly Father deserves that honour as is due to him by nature, and the commands of God, of how much more honour is thy heavenly father worthy, to whom thou art beholden for thy All; O then be careful, my poor Soul, and do not disho­nor the name of thy great God, is this great God thy Father, then delight thy self in his presence, and rejoyce in him above all, for thou [...]ast found, through grace, how sweet tis to be in the presence of thy God and Fa­ther, to solace thy self in his Love, O how sweet a thing it is to possess this, to injoy that Communion in which thou art said to be kissed with the kisses of his Lips, and made partaker of those heavenly Glories.

O how good is it to be in the contempla­tion of these eternal and transcendant beau­ties, these glorious streams of living waters, these sweet shades of everlasting comforts, and to be filled with that everlasting fulness, that filleth all in all; O how much better is it to my Soul to be one of the meanest in thy [Page 127] presence to behold thy Glory, then to be the greatest potentate upon Earth.

Let me behold thy Glory; O cause thy face to shine upon me, so shall all darkness be dissipated, and nothing shall appear too ha [...]d for me, when thou hast cloathed me with thy strength; O tis thy presence makes all things beautiful, O tis this presence brings true comfort, and gives full satisfaction to thy Soul; satisfaction is not to be had in any thing below a Saviour, no not in very friends, they are all but fading comforts, and may leave thee, and forsake thee, but then saith David, even then the Lord took me up, my heavenly father hath a greater love a pitty for me, he hath said, In the presence of the Fa­there shall no ill come to thee, the Lord will take thy drooping Soul into his banqueting house, and speak peace to thee, by love imbraces, he will stay thee with flaggon, and comfort thy love sick Soul with the choicest delights; O how sweet is his fruit, eaten under his shadow, what comfort is it to a wearied Soul, lye down under so sweet a shade, to to take its rest from scorching heats, storms, and tempests.

If th [...]s great God be my Father, then I will go unto him and make known my wants he can he [...]p in every condition, and supply all my w [...]nts, plentifully; Lord I want wis­d [...]m▪ Lord I want all things but hast thou m [...]d [...] [...] [...]hrist to be all things for me, then in giving him to me thou givest all and blessed be thy great a [...]d holy name; And [...]rt thou O God, my Father! How can i [...] be so gr [...]at a priviledge belongs to me, poor wor [...], O let me then indeed and truly depend on thee, O let my trust be in my God, and suffer not my Soul to turn aside from thy commands; O my poor Soul cast all thy care upon the Lord, and trust in him for ever, for blessed are they that trust in him at all times, and who canst thou better trust thy self with then in the hands of thy Father? And such a Father whose tender bowels are so great as will not suffer any thing to come nigh thee for thy hurt; he knows what is best and fittest for thee, a God whose p [...]wer reacheth over all the World, and can bring to pass whatsoever pleaseth him.

O there is nothing, Lord, too hard for thee? thou canst in one moment make thy poor servant such as thou wouldest [Page 129] have her to be: O do so, Lord, for thy dear me [...]cies sake, and let the glory of all return to thee.

Then hast thou such a God to go to as thy fa [...]her in the time of need, O what comfort is there for thee in any time of outward trou­bles when thou canst say thou art in the hands of a gra [...]ious, merciful God, who af­flicteth bu [...] in measure, when [...]he doth af­flict and that not according to what thy sins and iniquit [...]es have deserved, a God that is slow to [...]g [...]r, p [...]enteous in mercy, and when he doth chastise it is to separate thee from thine iniquity, and make thee know in what thou hast offended him, O let the end of thy chastizing hand, dear Lord; be such to me as may refine my Soul, from all its dross, then such afflictions shall be good ye good for me, that keeps me in th [...] favour, that cause me to find acceptance with thee.

Make that a great comfort to me in the greatest streight and difficulty that can come in this world, he who hath all power in his own hands shall he not do whatever he pleaseth with his own, [Page 130] yet he hath promised never to leave nor for sake them, he will be still the God of those that fear him, and will deliver them when they cry unto him; O therefore my soul, fear the Lord and let thy trust be ever more in him, fear not man who hath a Linited power, and shall go no further then thy Heavenly Father gives them leave, they plot and de­vise mischief against thee and thine anointed, thou seest, O Lord, and wilt thou not arise to plead thine own cause, that they may see and be confounded, every one, when there coun­cell shall be brought to nought, and they made to see the greatness of the God of Jacob; O Lord, though we have sinned, let not thy great name be poluted by those who know thee not

O let that be still more glorious, though thy people perish and come to nothing; and as for me, dear Lord, fit and prepare me for thy will, O let my soul and heart be filled with looking and longings after thee, O let me still be ever in thy presence and it shall be well with me for ever;

DEath is a Jaylor who unlocks the pri­son doors of a gratious soul, and ushers it into the presence of his hea­venly father who is a gratious and a merciful God, there to be imbraced in the arms of a loving Saviour; and to injoy a ful­ness of eternal glory; by hearing the voice, Come ye blessed of m [...] fa [...]her receive the King­dom prepared for you: But the wicked, Death arests and brings bound before the Tribunall Seat of God where he shall behold alone the frowns of an angry God before whose anger who is able to stand? there shall he see Di­vine Justice eternally satisfying on him, and never satisfied, Satan on one side and his own conscience on the other accusing of him, and Jesus Christ who would have him his Saviour now his judge pronouncing the dreadful sen­tence of that eternal damnation, Go ye cursed of my father into everlasting destruction prepared for thc Devil and his Angels; Blessed and for [Page 132] ever blessed are they who have the Lord for their God, for whom Christ will say, O death, I will be thy dea [...]h, ye through the power of his might, will I not be afraid; Christ hath over come Death, he hath taken away the sting, then in Christ I shall be through grace more then a Conquerer; then Death I will bid thee welcome, blessed Mes­senger when thou art sent to break my chains and unlock my Fetters, Locks, and Bolts, which keeps me from the presence of my Lord, which is a burden to my soul, and hinder me of the most blessed prospect of mine eternal happiness, and when thou shalt bring me into the presence of my redeemer, there to behold his face in glory, then shall my soul be satisfied, when I wake I shall behold thy face in Righteousness; O my God.

Now, O my soul, thou dost pretend to fear the Lord but dost thou really, so examine thy self, canst thou approve thy heart to God, in all sincerity, he hath done great things, O and wonderful, for thee what hast thou done for him hast thou demonstrated a return of Love to him that has bestowed so much Love on thee surely it is a day in which the Lord doth threaten an end of all flesh before him and art thou exempt from his ever ruli [...]g power tis time to make up thy accounts for [Page 133] how knowest thou how soon the Lord may call to reckon with thee, O it will be sad to have a name to live, and yet be dead; to have thy portion among Hypocrites it is thy duty to be found serving the Lord with all ferven­cy of spirit out of a pure mind giving glory unto him: to walk holy and humbly with thy God, to take delight in thine approaches be­fore him, to lye low at his foot-stool, in the sence of what thou art and what thou hast re­ceived; to have respect unto all his commands and do his will to submit thy self unto him, in all obedience, to live in a continual de­pendance upon him, to take up thy Cross dai [...]y, and follow him; wilt thou be a wise child then understand the will of thy heaven­ly father, O how hast thou fallen short of thy duty to thy gratious Lord? who never yet was wanting unto thee, Lord thou art my helper, and unto thee I fly, for my soul have had experience, even of the truth of grace, to th [...]e be glory my hope is still in thee my God who knowest the frailty of thy poor creatures and pittyes them under their in­firmities because they are but dust; O Lord it is free grace that must inable me to do what thou requirest and blessed be God for that glorious gr [...]ce, by which thou hast in abled me to find the sweet experience of spiritual in livenings to all or any of these things in any measure; though but small; [Page 134] In thee my well springs are, this I can say, O Lord, my soul desires to do thy will, make me such a one as thou wouldest have me be, Lord I am thine, do with me what soever pleaseth thee, I could desire to live if by my living I might glorifie thy name, yet allo wish to be dissolved to be with Christ, to be dis­robed of sin, and c [...]oathed upon with his e­ternal Righteousness, to be freed from im­perfection, to be compleat in Christ, in all perfection so to injoy a free Communion with my Lord in Glory to all eternity.

THe Soul that truly fears the Lord is happy, and he that exercise th faith shall ever find him faithfull let what will come▪ he shall not be afraid of evill tidings, &c. O happy Soul that is in such a case, yea happy is he that hath the Lord for his God; An interest in Christ in a day of trouble [Page 135] is help and succour, what can come amiss to me if the Lord be my God, tis true I may be spoiled of all I have, but they that take it from cannot rob me of my glory in being a belie­ver, then come what will, seeing my Crown is safe through grace will I receive.

Tis no great honour to be trading in the paths of Christianity, when there is none forbids it, and when a change comes, cast of any Religion because it is out of fashion and credit. O remember that any who have once set their hand to the Plow and look back are not fit for the Kingdom of Heaven, for they that are such draw back unto perdition and the Lord will take no pleasure in them, no it is he and only he that indures to the end shall be saved? But what if our Estates▪ our liberties nay our very lives lye at the stake, you must either part with these or submit unto humane invensi­ons, this is indeed a great, but poor Soul be not thou disturbed.

But remember any former arguments and be not afraid to trust God with thy condition be it what it will for therein thou mayest deny the Soveraignty power, and faithfulness of the great and holy God double the portion of the fearful [...] and unbelieving, But O my Soul for to come nearer to thee, suppose the Lord should suffer thee particularly to come under [Page 136] this tryal unto the utmost extent, for O who knows how soon that may happen, and thou art not prepared to encounter with it; there­fore how needfull is it to be mindful of thy Lords commands, watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation, it will be a sad reward thou wilt meet with by entering into a temp­tation to save thy self, and thereby loose thy God and thy Souls comfort; Is not Christ to be esteemed more then all things? besides what is he not made exceeding pretious to thy Soul and wilt thou, canst thou, part with him on any terms, surely thou hast not loved him for Loaves only, but for that excellency the Father hath cloathed him with, the fear of man brings a snare, but he that trusteth in the Lord shall be safe; man says thou shalt not doe this &c. tis disobedience to commands of men, and the Issue of it will be either prison, Banishment, or death, but the spirit of God says pay thy vows though it come in competition with thy very life, for he that loveth his Father Mother &c. Ye his very life, better then me is not worthy of me and he that taketh not up his Cross to follow me cannot be my disciple, then surely tis better disobeying man on earth then to be found an offender of the Majesty on high; the waies of Christ are still the same good waies, in [Page 137] persecution; and they were in peace, nor are they a whit the less disowned by Christ for being disallowed of man; the soul that truly is established in Gospel truths is upon a sure foundation, and owning Christ to be his Lord and King, gives the honour due unto his, King, his Lord, and Law giver.

As thy redeemer as thy saviour; as a me­diator now in heaven, interceeding for thee, as thy Lord and King, as one who being fully interested in the fathers love, and in all the father is, and hath also made thee through grace to perticipate thereof; O the unbounded riche [...] of free love, what love was ever like to that of Christs, who loved not his life unto the death; but gave it freely for thee, that thou mayest thereby freely come out of that cursed damned estate thou else hadst lain in unto all eternity: and into the glorious liberty of Sons; O how sweetly sounds that word, Sons and Daughters, heirs of a Kingdom, and Co-heirs with Christ Jesus this is a believers portion; and a glorious portion through the lively exercise of faith for the Lord in the offers of his grace, sayes come, come freely; without any worth in your selves, or good of your own, and take my Son and with him all that shall make you eternally happy, the Lord Jesus he a lone is thy redeemer, he a [Page 138] lone is thy Redeemer he alone hath perfect­ed the work of thy Redemption?

And unto him be glory, ye all glory for ever and for ever who still had been a glori­ous and a holy God though thou hadst perish­ed to all eternity; and now what hath he re­quired of thee; O my soul; but to love him to own him and this love begits obedience to him; and love unto his laws and from which if thou shouldest now draw back thou wilt deny thy love to him and through a slavish fear make Shipwrack of thy faith deny the power faithfullness soveranity and omnipotency of the great God and so be come a prey to Satan, and loose thy soul, thy God, thy Christ, and all thy heavenly treasures for­ever: the Lord in his mercy prevent it and all this for a song, a sinful compliance with the men of the wor [...]d and for fear of there threats sin against such Light; such Love, such Convictions, of Conscience as the Lord through rich grace hath manifested to thee; then consider how the Lord speaks to his poor covenant people, who art thou that thou should­est be afraid of a man that shall dye, when I am on thy side, who hath power to do with all men whatsoever he will; am not I your Fa­ther, [Page 139] and cannot you trust me with your preservation, though in suffering times, there fore, O my soul, trust in the Lord, let him bee all thy stay, and [...]e assured all shall be well with thee if suffering be thy Lot, as it is all theirs that will live Godly [...] Christ [...]esus; the Lord will give out strength proportion­able, for he hath said that he will lay no more upon thee then he will inable thee to bear; then let thy sufferings be what they will, they shall be crowned with a glorious Isue thy small moment of affliction shall work for thee an eternity of glory: say; they then vaunt over thee with reviling speeches and reproach the too with sedition, Hypocri [...], Hereticks, Schismaticks &c.

Better is it to bear the Reproach then be truly guilty but what is this when the Lord▪ saith, Blessed are ye when all men hate, Reproach; and speak all manner of evil against you for my sake, shall the Disciples be ab [...]vt his Lord; for what can they do to thee that they have not done to him?

He suffered a vile and shamefull [Page 140] death without the camp, for the bearing this re­proach; he was scoffed at, made a scorn off, re­viled, buffered. spit upon; and at lengt cru­cified, and all for thy sake, taking it patiently and quietly, and can't thou be content to suf­fer some small thing for his sake, who hath suffered such great things for thee; therefore my soul, fix thou thy faith on Jesus Christ who ever liveth to make intercession for his affiict­ed ones, & is ready at hand to give seasonable supplies for every condition; O be found still walking in his wayes, and full of love to his pre­tious Laws, and trust him with thy condition, who can deliver thee from trouble, or else preserve thee and bear thee up under it;

Blessed David saith the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me, and for thy sake I have borne reproach, shame hath covered my face, it was good Davids portion to fall under such reproaches, as were even ready some­times, to have broken his heart, yet for his help hath his recourse to God, ye though the Lord is pleased seemingly to turn away his ear, yet he will seek no other help, I was a reproach to all mine enemies but, especially among my Neighbours, ye his very friends reproached him but says he, As for me I will call upon God and he shall save me, evening and morning, and at noon will I pray and cry aloud [Page 141] & he shall hear my voice, O let this be thy work to approve thy integretie and sincerity unto God, And so plead with thy God for mercy and deliverance, for what matter is it how man Judgeth of thee so thy heart be right with God; what disadvantage will reproaches bring unto thee; M [...]ses este [...]med the reproaches of Christ; greater riches then the treasures of Egypt; therefore says Paul; I take pleasure in reproaches, Yea if you be reproached for the name of Christ h [...]p [...] are ye, for the spirit of glory and of God (in a more eminent manner) resteth up [...]n you, the Church of God in all ages hath lain under such afflictions and the father hath so ordained it, for the purging a­way of sin, the purifying of man from his dross, that so he might become as tryed silver resign­ed, fit for holy use, and therefore seeing the necessity of it, saith the Apostle, beloved think it not st [...]ange concerning the fiery tryal which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you; tis no new thing, therefore know thy duty in it; but rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed ye m [...] be glad also with exceeding joy; And in another place, if you suffer with him you shall also Reign with him, and let none of you suffe [...] a [...] an evill doer at a M [...]derer, thiefe, or as a busie body, in other mens matters, yet if any man suffer as a Christian, [Page 143] (clea [...]ly) on that account, let▪ him not be a shamed [...]ut let him glorifie God on this behalf for the time is coming that judg [...]ment must begin at the house of God, and if it first begin at us what shall the end b [...] of them tha [...] obey not the Gospell of God, and if the righteous sca [...]cely be sa­ved where shall the ungodly and siners apear,

Wherefore let them [...]hat suffer accordi [...]g to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing; as un [...]o a faithful Creator; through grace I desire to pitch my Soul [...]n everlasting faithfulln [...]ss, by which I trust I shall be kept in even walking in his own paths; be they never so rugged, yet if I meet my Lord, I shall do well; his gratious presence makes every condition sweet, and though this poor pi [...]gramage represents nothing but thorns a [...]d bryers; it will be recompensed with an eternity of glory; A place where no sorrow shall be known, but fulness of joy add pleasure, and the comp [...]eat injoyment of thy Lord for ever; therefore O Lord into thy gratious care I do commit my self, my Soul and spirit; Lord fit me for thy will, and let me only fear thy righteous judgements and be sound trembling at thy word; so shall I be kept faithfull unto the end.